Mark Dominik Is Doing “It Right”
July 28th, 2011
Joe reads the comments. He sees his Twitter messages.
Many Bucs fans are slamming their pints of beer on the bar in frustration because Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik (seemingly) is watching the boats float down the river as other NFL teams gobble up free agents or make trades to better themselves and, thus far, Dominik has stood pat.
Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com has noticed this as well and had something to Twitter about it. In short, he’s in Dominik’s corner.
@PriscoCBS: Bucs do it right. Ton of money, but not being crazy with it.
Joe had tried to calm his readers on Twitter earlier this week. Joe was bombed with “who are the Bucs going after in free agency” type questions on Twitter, and Joe would always respond that Dominik would likely take care of his own first and maybe dabble in second-tier free agents.
Dominik learned a lesson with the near-miss of Facestomper Haynesworth and the mess that Kardashian-chasing Derrick Ward turned out to be. Since, Dominik has treated big-named free agents as if they have cholera.
As Joe has stated many times before, dollars do not equate wins. They just don’t. And really, who can soberly argue against what Dominik has pulled off the past 18 months?
July 28th, 2011 at 10:02 am
I dig what he is doing. No point in complaining yet.
July 28th, 2011 at 10:10 am
“As Joe has stated many times before, dollars do not equate wins.”
If you spend it on the right players it does! It bought the Saints a championship when they signed Drew Brees five years ago. It helped us when we signed Simeon Rice and Brad Johnson back in 2001.
“And really, who can soberly argue against what Dominik has pulled off the past 18 months?”
Joe, I think Dominick has a great eye for talent but really, a lot of luck came with 10+rookies starting last season. And it is true that we had a soft schedule last year. Next year, it’ll be much harder. Not to say that we weren’t any good last year, because we were considering the circumstances. We improved a lot. But seriously, you can’t expect every rookie to have a season like Williams, Blount, or Grimm did.
The reason free agency hasn’t worked for Dominick is because he signed players that obviously should never have been signed in the first place. Ex: Clayton and Leftwich. We all knew those would be bust signings. As for Ward, there were higher expectations for him, but that was just one signing.
July 28th, 2011 at 10:14 am
I am on board as well … My list of FA names to watch
Manny Lawson , Mathias Kiwanuka , Jon Joseph
July 28th, 2011 at 10:22 am
@Patrick So, all the time Dominik spent looking over college players didn’t give him an informed decision on who to draft? It was all just luck? GTFO!
July 28th, 2011 at 10:34 am
Please Joe, stop drinking the Dominick Cool-aid. The bucs need to bring in some big time free agents. Derrick Ward was a horrible signing and not because free agency doesn’t work. He was a horrible signing because he only had one good year before we signed him. All free agents like that are bust. But free agents like Charles Woodson, Jonathan Vilma, Drew Brees, Darren Sharper, Corey Dillon, Plaxico Burres, Sam madison etc. were all big time free agents who had a history of being big time before their free agent year. All of these players helped their new team win a super bowl. So signing a player like Nnamdi or Osi or whoever is available that has a history of being big time will not hurt the bucs. It will HELP!!!! Please understand that.
July 28th, 2011 at 10:39 am
I agree Tim, I support Dominick totally but some are drinking too much kool aid
July 28th, 2011 at 10:40 am
I love the way we have built the team and have no complaints here, but I cant lie im worried… WHY? Our divion which was already great has gotten immensely better this offseason. The Panthers were the worst team, but have been aggressive in improving their team this offseason.
Im getting nervous because were just sitting pat and expecting Freeman to bail us out again…. sigh…
July 28th, 2011 at 10:46 am
Tim I agree in principle with you but the players you listed were not top tier FAs.. Brees was unwanted in SD and Miami chose Culpepper.. remember he was coming off of a MAJOR shoulder injury and stunk it up for many years until he had Rivers pushing him.. Ditto for Dillon. Yes they were great signings for the teams that picked ’em up, but they were not premier FAs. Just look at the Redskins and Cowboys. Need I say more? Go for a big name when you are 1 piece away from Super Bowl- not one piece away from playoffs. Build from the inside first like the Patriots did before they signed Dillon (remember they let Curtis Martin and Lawyer Milloy go too). Jets are one or two pieces away (unfortunately it’s QB which they won’t change) so they are making an all-out push. They had core talent first. I am not a Kool Aid drinker but like what Dominick is doing. Let’s see who is left after the Redskins buy everyone and prepare for another 8-8 year.
July 28th, 2011 at 10:51 am
All the Panthers have done is way over paid for the core of their 2-14 team they had last year. $73 mil for a one year wonder DE, $35mil for a 28 year old injury prone RB, plus $12 mil for a freaking kicker. Model franchise right there
July 28th, 2011 at 10:51 am
Just one starting cornerback and I will be completely satisfied. That is the only concern I have.
July 28th, 2011 at 10:57 am
I am so sick of these “SIGN A BIG NAME!” fans screaming at free agency every year.
IT DOES NOT WORK!! Once a year a big name free agent will have an impact. Otherwise, you hardly ever hear from them again.
I mean look at the example someone is giving: Drew Brees. Really? most teams would not touch him because his shoulder at the time.
Whatever.
Dynasties are built from within.
Do they need to sign a player or two, probably, but it does not need to be a guy who is in his late 20’s, played 2 good years and is now looking to get waaaay overpaid.
It is just a stupid way to do business.
I would love for them to sign a DT and a RB but within reason and it has to be the right guy.
Dom did go after a big name free agent: Doug Free – a heck of a OT – but he lost the bidding war and Free stayed home.
Again, Dom is doing it right: it all starts with the O & D Line.
What cracks me up is this team was NOTHING 2 years ago and now they are pretty deep and young at most positions, yet many of you still think you know best.
The other thing that is funny is most of you probably hate the Redskins, Cowboys, Yankees, red Sox, etc… and laugh when they falter in FA.
Yet you want the Bucs to do the same thing all for a headline
July 28th, 2011 at 10:57 am
(A previous post that seems more appropiate here) If anyone is getting frustrated from the Bucs activity in FA so far, relax. As Joe suggested in a previous article, this is apparently Dom’s way. There is no bigger supporter of Dom and his rebuilding program than I am. But, I am on record stating that at some point building through the draft will peak. There is a major difference in building the neucleus of a contender and putting the finishing touches on a playoff team. If Dom is truly a student of Bellichick, then he will know this. It is obvious to me that Dom does not believe that the Bucs are at a point in their evolution to make a serious run at a SuperBowl as he has not, at this point, made a splash in FA given that he has the pocketbook to do so.
July 28th, 2011 at 11:03 am
The Bucs have the offense on the right track. I could see them adding a veteran to this group of players. The defense is going to experience growing pains and there is no other way around it. Let them make their mistakes and learn because adding one or two players to this group won’t get us in the playoffs. Only an offense that is improved from last year has a chance to get us into the playoffs. The defense will have to hang on for their lives and hope the secondary has similar success to last year. The upside to this is these young players will grow together and hopefully turn into something great.
July 28th, 2011 at 11:05 am
Also, this team has saved so much money in the past couple years so it’s not gonna hurt if they reach for their wallets. Just don’t do a Haynesworth type of signing
July 28th, 2011 at 11:07 am
TINY TIM:
“…free agents like Charles Woodson, Jonathan Vilma, Drew Brees, Darren Sharper, Corey Dillon, Plaxico Burres, Sam madison etc.”
Yes there are examples, but for the most part they are the 1 out of 15 free agents that worked that year.
Besides the players on that list have some issues:
Brees – shoulder, many passed on him
Dillon – Problem child and I would argue he did nothing to really help the Pats. He had a great year that year, but with Brady and the O-Line that year, I would argue they could have done well with any decent back
Buress – decent in Pitt, but never really blossmed until he hit NY, was not exactly a HUGE FA
Whatever, I know I am nit-picking. My point is I get signing some players here and there, but to say they HAVE to sign a BIG NAME just makes no sense what-so-ever to me.
July 28th, 2011 at 11:26 am
I say forget most free agents, spend money buying empty seats at Tampa Stadium.
July 28th, 2011 at 12:04 pm
I don’t want us to overpay for anyone by any means, but good luck trying to fill the stadium without a single decent FA signing.
July 28th, 2011 at 12:11 pm
@Hire Greg Olsen, Apple Roof Cleaning
Good points
July 28th, 2011 at 12:12 pm
They ARE reaching for their wallets. They have no choice but to reach the salary floor and reach it they will. All the loopholes have been removed in the new CBA and the floor must be reached in CASH spent this year. No way around it. So stop complaining.
July 28th, 2011 at 12:54 pm
To Dave and tamparob, you need to do your homework. Brees had 2 great years before he left San Diego. Miami didn’t choose Culpepper over Brees, Brees chose NO over Miami. Miami settled for Culpepper. You keep talking about big time free agents that become bust and I guarantee you the big time free agents you speak of were 90% one hit wonders like I said previously. Put your facts where your words are. Please give an example of a player that was a bonafied star or upper tier performer for multiple years before that sucked after he got his contract. If you talking players like Dexter Jackson or Larry Smith then I agree. Trust me, there are more Simeon Rice, Keyshawn Johnson, Brad Johnson out there. Oh BTW, Kellen Winslow was not a drafted buc. We traded for a top tier TE and promptly made him the highest paid TE in the league. Don’t drink the kool-aid.
July 28th, 2011 at 1:00 pm
I guess you guys are happy the bucs just paid Quincy Black as if he is Derrick Brooks. You should be a little upset that they overpaid a very average LB instead of trying to prove me wrong. Black has done nothing to warrant that type of contract. But I guess its okay because he is was drafted by the bucs. Just like Michael Clayton. Yea that worked out brilliantly.
July 28th, 2011 at 1:58 pm
Tiny tim….WRONG. Go re-read your facts. Miami refused to sign Brees for fear about his shoulder never being the same. It is on record so no need to guess about it. Miami had first crack and chose to go with Culpepper instead.
July 28th, 2011 at 4:26 pm
Again Flboy, you missed my point. The point is Drew Brees was a pro bowl FA that had performed multiple years before signing with the saints. Forget the shoulder issue. His resume spoke for itself. He also showed tremendous leadership skills prior which is why he made the saints better when he arrived. Again, please show me where a FA with multiple years of success flopped after he got his new contract from another team (without counting injuries because injuries can happen to anyone). All I can think of are players like Charles Haley, Deion Sanders, Marshall Faulk, Shannon Sharpe etc. The blueprint is there, sign a legitimate free agent and not one hit wonders and you make your team BETTER.
July 28th, 2011 at 4:55 pm
Albert Haynesworth was a pro bowler in 2007 and 2008, and when he had the “incident” in 2006 the Titans were upset to have lost him for the games they did; he was a good player even then. Joe Montana was a great player for many years that never even came close to what he was for those first several years once he went to KC; same thing with Marcus Allen. Jake Delhomme didn’t go to a new team, but he got a huge contract and then flopped horribly after several (three I think) years of good performance.
Alvin Harper was good for several years in Dallas; signed with Tampa and bombed. To a certain extent, I think Warren Sapp fits the mold for this; he had several great years in Tampa, then went to Oakland and was, from what I saw, mediocre. If you gave me more time to think, I imagine I could come up with even more, this is just a list I thought of in five minutes.
July 28th, 2011 at 5:17 pm
Tim: Miami made the choice, not Drew.. and he did have 2 good years in SD but they didn’t want him.. they drafted Rivers and made the choice to go with him even though he was unproven. Brees was not a top tier. Also please get YOUR facts straight. Keyshawn was a trade, not a FA. And it was made after the Bucs already had playoff quality D and, in fact, made it to the NFC championship game losing when .. FA Bert Emmanuel.. couldn’t hold on to the ball (bust). I’m not saying that they shouldn’t go after FAs just the second tier guys that are good role players. NE proved you can win without superstars – heck they even did OK with Matt Cassell when Brady went down. And don’t bring up Randy Moss- nobody wanted him at the time either.
July 28th, 2011 at 7:54 pm
Wienman, Haynesworth was also an idiot ie. stepping on opponents helmets etc. If you want to put Haynesworth’s leadership capabilities in the same sentence with Brees then you need to stop posting because its obvious you have no idea what you are talking about. BTW, that was not his only mishap!!
Second, Joe Montana was old and past his prime. Same with Jake the snake. Alvin harper was a #2 receiver the bucs paid like a #1. That has never worked. You have not seen me ask for the bucs to pay a #2 receiver like a #1. Sapp went to Oakland and still average 5 sacks a year at DT. Funny, tell me how many DT in their primes get 5 sacks in a year? If they do, then they get 100 million dollar contracts now days. Sapp may not have been the same, but he was still one of the best at his position. He still commanded double teams. His team was mediocre. I bet you were one of the fools calling for the bucs to get rid of sapp. Funny, we are still trying to get someone to replace him almost 10 yrs later. You make this too easy.
July 28th, 2011 at 8:24 pm
Tamparob, Rivers sat the bench 2 years before he took over. It was a matter of finances because if you remember that season, it was the question of do they trade Rivers or Brees. Brees then hurt his shoulder week 15-16 which made it easier for SD to make the decision. Funny, I didn’t know that averaging 25.5 Tds, 3300 yrds, 65% completion rate doesn’t make you top tier. I am sorry you forgot the hype that was around brees when he became a free agent. I mean, Freeman put up those numbers last year and all of us Buc fans want to make him top ten, but you are saying brees was not because you are trying to validate your argument. You can’t have it both ways. If those numbers make Freeman top 10, then for sure brees was. Better question, name 10 qb’s that had better numbers then Brees’ Free agent year.
I know Keyshawn was a trade, but the point is he was a top player that the bucs went and got that was not a draft pick because they knew they could upgrade over Anthony, Green, Williams and Emanuel. Do you think I care if they trade for a top flight player to go with this current team? No, because that makes them BETTTER. BTW, the bucs may have already had a playoff caliber D, but that didn’t stop them from signing Rice, and Spires etc. And I see you have no idea what top flight FA means either. Bert Emanuel was on a sorry falcons team that ran the run and shoot offense. Definitely meant inflated stats. You act as if Bert Emanuel was Megatron. Nowhere close and thats why many fans didn’t know who he was until we signed him.
And why not bring up Moss? Just because teams didn’t want him like you say didn’t mean he was not a beast. And that is why the Pats still won because they had a great team around Cassell when Brady went down. And you see the difference. You had relatively the same team go 11-5 when the year previous they were 18-1. Thats the difference in being just ok and having the best if you can. If we can upgrade then do it because doing OK is not the goal. Its winning the championship………….Period. Or at least giving yourself the best chance to win it all. Forget being ok
July 28th, 2011 at 8:39 pm
If all you guys are good with not signing any top flight free agents then so be it. But I tell you one thing, if the bucs win only 7 games or so, I better not see any of you talking about fire Raheem. Its not his fault we had the most money to spend and elected to only bring in C level free agents. FYI, the schedule is much tougher this year and we may not be so lucky with the last minute drives like we had last year.